Farewell 2013...

Tuesday 31st December 2013

And so another year comes to an end and another starts tomorrow. For us birders that means being up and out by dawn ready to start our new 'Year Lists'. All things considered I did pretty well here in Canada this year and just managed to sneak in a final 'County Tick' a couple of days ago with Glaucous Gull (see below) in Lennox and Addington County. That was a personal achievement, reaching exactly 200 species for the county. I also managed to get 202 for Frontenac County, so new targets need to set for next year. Trouble is that without a job, I'm short of funds but on the flip side I certainly have the time.

So to round off the year, here are a few random photos from the last week or so starting with this Barred Owl I saw on Christmas Eve at Marshlands Conservation Area. I particularly like the one of it regurgitating a pellet - nice one!

Barred Owl - Marshlands CA, Kingston, ON

Barred Owl - Marshlands CA, Kingston, ON

Barred Owl regurgitating pellet - Marshlands CA, Kingston, ON

Barred Owl - Marshlands CA, Kingston, ON

Maintaining the predatory theme, this is a Rough-legged Hawk (Rough-legged Buzzard) that decided it didn't want to be photographed over on Wolf Island a couple of weeks ago when on the Kingston Christmas Bird Count.

Rough-legged Hawk - Wolfe Island, ON

Ontario has seen an impressive influx of Snowy Owls this winter - on just the one day of the aforementioned Kingston CBC, 22 Snowy Owls were recorded. Yesterday, I ventured out to Wolfe Island again and personally connected with 13 different birds. With the 3 on Amherst Island the day before and this one near Kingston Airport, that's 17 Snowies in the last couple of days!

Snowy Owl - Landings Golf Course, Kingston, ON

Snowy Owl - Landings Golf Course, Kingston, ON

And to round off today's blog, here are a couple of 'record shots' of the Glaucous Gull (actually there were 4) that helped me achieve my 200. Yet another seasonally appropriate bird.

Glaucous Gulls, Herring Gulls & Great Black-backed Gull - Heritage Point, Bath, ON

Glaucous Gull - Heritage Point, Bath, ON

'Till next year,

Mark.